Operator's Manual

Replacing the Drive Belts
Squealing when the belt is rotating, blades slipping
when cutting g rass , fra yed belt edg es , bur n marks
and crac ks are signs of a w or n mo w er belt. R e place
the mo w er belt if any of these conditions are
evident.
Note: R emo v e the top dri v e belt first if the
bottom dri v e belt needs to be re placed.
1. Diseng ag e the PTO , mo v e the motion control
lev ers to the neutral loc k ed position and set
the parking brak e .
2. Stop the engine , remo v e the k ey , and w ait for
all mo ving par ts to stop before lea ving the
operating position.
3. R emo v e the rear engine panel ( Figure 62 ).
Figure 62
1. Rear engine panel
4. Pull on the spring loaded idler pulley to loosen
the belt tension ( Figure 63 ).
5. R emo v e the mo w er belt from the top
pulley of the three stac k ed pulleys
( Figure 61 and Figure 63 ).
6. R emo v e the w or n dri v e belt.
7. Install the new dri v e belt around the clutc h
pulley , the adjustable idler pulleys , the spring
loaded idler pulley , and the front three stac k ed
pulleys ( Figure 63 ).
8. Adjust the belt tension; refer to Adjusting the
Dri v e Belts .
9. Install the mo w er belt around the mo w er
pulleys and the top pulley of the three stac k ed
pulleys ( Figure 61 and Figure 63 ).
Figure 63
1. Drive belt 4. Adjustable idler pulley
2. Clutch 5. Three stacked pulleys
3. Spring loaded idler pulley 6. Mower belt
Adjusting the Drive Belts
1. Diseng ag e the PTO , mo v e the motion control
lev ers to the neutral loc k ed position and set
the parking brak e .
2. Stop the engine , remo v e the k ey , and w ait for
all mo ving par ts to stop before lea ving the
operating position.
Note: Measure only the spring coils .
3. Measure the length of the spring . Chec k
to mak e sure the coils of the spring on the
spring-loaded idler pulley measures as listed
belo w ( Figure 64 and Figure 65 ).
• Left spring measurement: 5-3/4 ± 1/8 inc h
(14.6 ± 0.3 cm) ( Figure 64 ).
• Right spring measurement: 5-1/2
± 1/8 inc h (14.0 ± 0.3 cm) ( Figure 64 ).
4. If the spring does not ha v e the cor rect
measurement, loosen the n ut holding the
adjustable idler pulley so it can mo v e up and
do wn in the slot ( Figure 65 ).
5. R eliev e the pressure on the spring-loaded idler
pulley ( Figure 65 ).
6. P osition the adjustable pulley lo w er in the slot
and tighten the n ut ( Figure 65 ).
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